UNDP Jobs - 49534- Re-advertisement - Project Associate (Open to Sout

Re-advertisement - Project Associate (Open to South Sudanese Nationals Only)

Location :

Juba, SOUTH SUDAN

Type of Contract :

Service Contract

Starting Date :

Application Deadline :

18-Sep-14 (Midnight New York, USA)

Post Level :

SB-3

Duration of Initial Contract :

12 Months

Languages Required :

English

Expected Duration of Assignment :

12 Months

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence. UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

Background

Capacity building at human resource, organizational and institutional levels remains an urgent priority in South Sudan. It is central to restoring core institutions - both in terms of physical infrastructure and technical ability - and providing basic services to citizens. The Government of the Republic of South Sudan (RSS) has, together with its international partners, developed a Medium Capacity Development Strategy (MTCDS) as an Action Plan for Rapid Capacity Building. The MTCDS is derived directly from the objectives of the South Sudan Development Plan (SSDP) 2011 – 2016, and aims to provide a strategic framework for organizing capacity development efforts in support of these objectives, as well as the peace-building and state-building objectives of the RSS in the post-independence period

UNDP South Sudan seeks to contribute to this capacity building process by targeting the right functional and technical capacities at national, state and county levels, in order to increase the prospect of stability in South Sudan. Improving the capacity of government is both urgent and important, given the enormous development challenges facing the new state.

To meet the urgent capacity building gap, an initiative for capacity enhancement has been developed where member states of the IGAD community have committed to support the RSS both with human resources and financial assistance. The initiative supports the RSS to second and place 200 civil servants from IGAD Member States. These men and women will be deployed in strategic functions within national ministries, commissions and state-level local government. They will serve as rapid capacity enhancement support and be “twinned” with South Sudanese civil servants to ensure the direct transfer of skills and on-the-job training.

This project rapidly recruits and places highly qualified Civil Servants, designated as Civil Service Support Officers (CSSOs), to work within the RSS. All 200 are assigned to government structures and operate as civil servants with a contract signed with the RSS. The beneficiaries are principally key RSS and State ministries and agencies responsible for strategic areas essential for finance; local government; health, education and vocational training, aviation, access to justice and rule-of-law; infrastructure, trade and industry, among others.

In this regard, capacity development is be addressed in three ways:

Support capacity placement in government agencies through deployment of civil servants;
Strengthen South-South linkages between public sector agencies and think tanks in IGAD countries;
Strengthen Government capacity to recruit and sustain required technical assistance.

IGAD Civil Servants are contracted by RSS and deployed in strategic functions within national ministries, commissions and state-level local government as a form of technical assistance to strengthen institutional capacity to deliver services. These Civil Servants are identified and recruited by the RSS with the support of UNDP; and are embedded in positions that serve to provide the impetus for enhanced service delivery.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the direct supervision of the IGAD Project Manager, the Project Associate will provide support to all aspects of project management including administration, procurement and asset management and financial management.

Function / Expected Results:

Administration

Assist in preparing for conferences, workshops, training, and any other project related events. This includes organizing travel and accommodations for workshop/training participants, coordinating with hotels/facilities that provide venues, arranging for supplies, processing payments and responding to any other needs that are under the responsibility of the project. Perform Atlas management duties attached to these coordination tasks;
Manage travel arrangements for staff. Prepare and ensure the processing of travel authorizations, security clearance, flight reservations, and payment requests (for DSA, reimbursement claims and working advances), etc.
Maintain staff attendance sheets and monitor their leave. Ensure the timely payment of salaries and allowances to the staff holding SCs or ICs;
Maintain CSSO attendance sheets and monitor their leave; and ensure the timely payment monthly Consolidated Technical Allowance (CTA);
Maintain electronic and hard copy filing systems;
Ensure proper physical arrangements of the project office, including functioning of computers, printers and peripherals and photocopiers, availability of office supplies and appropriate locations of various office objects;
Prepare documents and materials necessary for meetings/workshops;
Undertake other tasks as requested by Project Manager, Project Officer or other project staff or the Human Development and Inclusive Growth (HDIG) Unit.

Procurement and Asset Management:

Assist in the recruitment and management of consultants and experts through the advertisement of ToRs, preparation of IC requests, setting up vendors in Atlas, preparing attendance sheets, making travel arrangements in South Sudan, processing payment requests, etc., liaising closely with responsible officers of the Human Development and Inclusive Growth Unit and the Procurement Unit;
Assisting in the procurement of goods and services, liaising closely with responsible officers of the Human Development and Inclusive Growth Unit, the Procurement Unit and other relevant Units and in compliance with UNDP rules and regulations (that are based on the principles of transparency, accuracy and cost-effectiveness). The tasks include: preparing procurement requests; creating requisitions in Atlas; ensuring the accuracy of information contained in the procurement-related documents such as RFQs, evaluation results, Purchase Orders (PO) and PO vouchers; ensuring the timeliness of actions by the Procurement Unit as well as suppliers; confirming the quantity and quality of received goods or service; and preparing payment requests;
Maintain and regularly update inventories of durable items (assets) and non-durable items (consumables) procured under the Project including those delivered to CSSOs in the states and counties. Ensure timely maintenance or repair works necessary for the assets.

Budget Management:

Support in managing and monitoring project budgets in Atlas, liaising with Finance Specialist of the Human Development and Inclusive Growth Unit. Duties include but are not limited to: preparing budget revisions, maintaining project shadow budgets, following-up and answering queries on project expenditures, commitments and cash balances; and generating project financial reports;
Timely actions on preparing and following up on requests for payments to various vendors including staff, CSSOs, suppliers, consultants, government counterparts, etc.;
Support in maintaining the internal expenditures control system, ensuring the accuracy of documents, proper recording of transactions and posting in Atlas.

The functions described in (IV) above and expected results will support the work of the RSS/IGAD team in generating the following project outputs:

Policies and guidelines with respect to the organization and administration of capacity building are formulated and implemented for improved service delivery;
Sustainable capacity building systems and mechanism piloted and identified, enabling all levels of government to implement their plans; and
Capacity building in South Sudan is strengthened institutionally to perform mandate functions

Competencies

Functional Competencies:

Building Partnerships:

Maintaining information and databases;
Tracks and reports on mobilized resources.

Promoting Organizational Learning And Knowledge Sharing:

Basic research and analysis;
Researches best practices and poses new, more effective ways of doing things;
Identifies and communicates opportunities to promote learning and knowledge sharing.

Job Knowledge/Technical Expertise:

Fundamental knowledge of processes, methods and procedures;
Understands the main processes and methods of work regarding to the position;
Possesses knowledge of organizational policies and procedures relating to the position and applies them consistently in work tasks (specialized knowledge related to financial resources management, including formulating budgets, maintaining Accounts Receivables and Accounts Payables, reporting);
Strives to keep job knowledge up-to-date through self-directed study and other means of learning;
Demonstrates good knowledge of information technology and applies it in work assignments.

Promoting Organizational Change and Development:

Presentation of information on best practices in organizational change;
Documents ‘best practices’ in organizational change and development within and outside the UN system;
Demonstrates ability to identify problems and proposes solutions.

Design and Implementation of Management Systems:

Data gathering and implementation of management systems?
Uses information/databases/other management systems;
Makes recommendations related to work procedures and implementation of management systems.

Client Orientation:

Maintains effective client relationships;
Reports to internal and external clients in a timely and appropriate fashion;
Organizes and prioritizes work schedule to meet client needs and deadlines;
Responds to client needs promptly.

Promoting Accountability and Results-Based Management:

Gathering and disseminating information;
Maintains databases.

Core Competencies:

Demonstrate corporate knowledge and sound judgment;
Self-development, initiative-taking;
Acting as a team player and facilitating team work;
Facilitating and encouraging open communication in the team, communicating effectively;
Creating synergies through self-control;
Managing conflict;
Learning and sharing knowledge and encourage the learning of others. Promoting learning and knowledge management/sharing is the responsibility of each staff member;
Informed and transparent decision making.

Required Skills and Experience

Education

Secondary Education, with specialized certification in Accounting and Finance;
University Degree in Finance, Business or Public Administration desirable, but it is not a requirement;
Part-qualified accountants from an internationally recognized institute of accountancy will have a distinct advantage.

Experience:

6 years of progressively responsible finance and accounting experience is required;
Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc) and advance knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages, experience in handling of web based management systems and ERP financials, preferably PeopleSoft;
Knowledge of IPSAS and/or IFRS required.

Language:

Fluency in English and the national language of the duty station.